Always delightful, the views here were particularly scenic on this clear, sunny September day. We'd come on a day trip from Sedona and found the park full but not uncomfortably so -- especially with the shuttle bus system operating. One tip: on a two section bus, take the forward section. The trailer offers scenic views and larger windows, but the suspension system there gives a much bumpier ride.
Three shuttle routes are available. One runs to Hermits Rest and it's along this route that the photos of this entry were taken. One runs within the Village and Market Plaza. The third runs to the Kaibab trailhead and to Yaki Point, a route not accessible to personal autos. Chances are you'll need to bus from parking to the Hermits Rest pickup by using the village shuttle. Five parking areas are available, one with large pull through spaces for Rvs or trailers. From 9:30am to sunset, Hermits Rest shuttles run every 15 minutes but service may be delayed during inclement weather.
A real treat was viewing three California condors soaring close overhead (at Powell Point or Hopi Point, if I remember right). These magnificent graceful gliders, with very distinctive markings, were long absent from Arizona but were reintroduced near the Grand Canyon in 1996. They are nesting now in the canyon walls, but no chicks have yet taken flight. A ranger talk, "Wings Over the Canyon", was given late afternoon near Bright Angel Lodge. We missed it, opting instead for more time on the Hermits Rest route. We skipped them this year, but remember the tale from one year ago: one of the trail donkeys had died on the trail and had to be air-lifted out. That sight was observed by a new group taking a trail ride, upon which the group all dismounted and walked.